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NFL.com writes- Pick Analysis: The Lions pick up the ultra-explosive Jahvid Best to alleviate some of the pressure on Matthew Stafford. Best is the most instinctive runner in the draft, and his skills may flourish as the feature back in Detroit. Although his back-to-back concussions last season justifiably raise concerns, the Lions may have landed the player with the most potential to become the next CJ2K.

Overview

Best is an explosive ball carrier that has the speed to turn a missed tackle into a long touchdown run. He has been productive as a runner as well as a return specialist. He missed the final four games of the 2009 season after sustaining a concussion and sore lower back in the game against Oregon State (11/7/2009). He is a patient runner that does a good job of setting up his blocks and squeezing through small run lanes. He has an explosive burst through the hole and has enough power and leg strength to run through arm tackles but is not big, or powerful enough to move piles. He shows good balance on contact and will fight for yards.

Alualu wasn’t projected to be picked this high. I think this is a risky selection. Tweeners have a nasty habit of being draft busts. Anyone remember Eric Kummerow?

NFL.com writes- Alualu appears to be a bit of a tweener (combination of height and weight) for an NFL defensive lineman. He doesnâ€™t have the great bulk as an interior lineman in a 4-3 front or the ideal height to play end in a 3-4 scheme. Alualu shows deceptive power for his size that can push the pocket as a pass rusher as well as penetrate the line of scrimmage as a run defender. He has quick hands to control and separate from blockers as well as solid instincts to feel pad pressure and maintain leverage in his gap responsibility. Alualu has enough tools and talent to contribute giving depth to an NFL defensive line.

No I’m not talking about some middle aged man propelling a ball at some objects at the end of a lane, but the games that climax every college football season. Bowl season officially starts this afternoon, here are the matchups for all the college football fanatics out there.

Note- I gave the shortened name version of all the upcoming games. Also I listed what broadcast network would be televising the game and what time they would be coming on the air. All times are Eastern Standard.

*- 19 of the 34 games are not scheduled till Dec. 31st or later. I guess college football fanatics are expected to flip channels very quickly on those 3 days(Dec 31-Jan 2) when 15 games are being aired.
*- What a downer must it be for Oregon State players and fans. A few weeks ago they were one win from a Rose Bowl trip. Instead they lost to Oregon and are playing in a minor bowl before Christmas.
*- The NFL network televises a college football game. I guess that’s the cable sports equivalent of the Sci-Fi channel showing wrestling….
*- The bowls are now set where now certain conference finishers are locked into the same bowl games every year. I understand why the current system is done, but I prefer the day when bowl games would have greater variance from year to year. The Peach bowl would usually invite a ACC or SEC school but they could be creative, like when they invited Army and Illinois. Wouldn’t a SEC team against BYU or Wyoming be nice for a change?
*- Bobby Bowden’s farewell game is against the same school(West Virginia) that he left before coming to Florida State. I do know FSU and WV have played at least twice previously in bowls during the Bowden-Florida State era.

ESPN writes- Mack displays great strength and comes from a wrestling background, which allows him to play with great balance. He also possess the necessary ability to sink his hips and reset his feet when going up against bigger interior defensive tackles, and he shows excellent hand use.

He took the Sun Devils to one of their only two Rose Bowl appearances ever. Snyder was also the second winningest coach in Arizona State history. RIP.

Bruce Snyder, whose 20-year career as a college football coach included an unbeaten regular season at Arizona State, has died after a 10-month fight against cancer.

Snyder, who was 69, died at his Phoenix home Monday, the university said. He coached the Sun Devils from 1992-2000. His 1996 team went 11-0 in the regular season before a last-minute 20-17 loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

Snyder also was the coach at Utah State from 1976-82 and California from 1987-91. His overall record was 126-105-5. At Arizona State, Snyder was 58-47, second only to Frank Kush for victories with the Sun Devils.

He was an assistant coach for the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams from 1983-86.

“He was a guy that helped a lot of us kids grow up, especially myself,” said Keith Poole, a wide receiver on that 1996 team. “It was my first time away from home and he basically took over as a father. He taught you how to be tough. He didn’t have any soft love. You learned to respect him for that.”

Snyder, who left coaching after he was fired by Arizona State in 2000, was diagnosed with cancer last June.

He told The Arizona Republic last fall that, “if all of a sudden I’m gone in a year, it’s been a damn good life. And I’ve lived a healthier, longer life than most.”

Plummer went on to quarterback the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos. Tillman played safety for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, then quit the sport to join the Army Rangers. He was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.

Other players on that squad who went on to play in the NFL included Poole, Juan Roque, Lenzie Jackson, Grey Ruegamer, Steve Bush, Derrick Rodgers, Derek Smith and Jason Simmons.

“He taught us how to care for each other,” Poole said. “I think that’s why we were so good that year.”

Snyder won the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award as national coach of the year for the 1996 season.

His 1997 team was 9-3 and beat Iowa in the Sun Bowl, the Sun Devils’ first bowl victory in a decade.

Snyder was Pac-10 coach of the year for California in 1990 and Arizona State in 1996.

Snyder was 39-37-1 at Utah State, coaching the Aggies to two conference championships. At Cal, he was 29-24-4., His 1990 Cal team went 7-4-1 and appeared in a bowl game — the school’s second since 1958. In 1991, he led the Bears to a 10-2 record and a victory over ACC champion Clemson in the Citrus Bowl.

Snyder is survived by his wife, three daughters, a son-in-law, two grandchildren, four sisters, two brothers and — in his family’s words — his “beloved” dog Ella.

No I’m not talking about some middle aged man propelling a ball at some objects at the end of a lane, but the games that climax every college football season. Bowl season officially starts this Saturday, here are the matchups for all the college football fanatics out there.

That’s 34 games, 68 schools spread over a period of 20 days for those of you keeping score at home. An ample supply of college football for any fanatics out there.

A few notes

*- There are a few bowl games remaining without corporate names in their title. Gator, Sun, Texas, Independence. Were these games unable to find sponsors?
*- Will Oklahoma St. and Oregon combine for 70 pts or more in the Holiday Bowl? This annually has been of the most high scoring affairs.
*- Oh how has the Orange Bowl dropped. A game that featured early triumphs of Joe Paterno led Penn State, Nebraska and Oklahoma in their glory days, the first major bowl appearance of Florida State, and the all time classic 84 battle between Nebraska and Miami, has Cincinnati and Virginia Tech playing this year. I’m sure they are talented football teams, but how many people are drooling to see them play in a prime-time network slot?
*- Arizona and BYU meet in a bowl 30 years after the former left the WAC conference for the higher profile Pac Eight(Now Ten, Arizona State joined also)
*- Vanderbilt makes a rare bowl appearance. Congratulations to Commodore fans, but this is a sign of how bowls are grown way out of proportion. 6-6 college teams get bids. When I was growing up I could remember Florida State going without a bowl in 1978 even though they finished the season 8-3.

It is my humble opinion that bowl season has gotten out of hand. Someone may say what’s the big deal? If someone wants to start a bowl game and there are two schools willing to play in it, does their records matter. A good football isn’t only a contest between stars at big name schools.

All true, but how much public money is spent on these affairs? Many of the teams are state universities who get funded by taxpayers. Then there is the game itself where police have to be taken from other tasks to work the day or night of the game or paid over-time.

With the economic downturn right now, you have to wonder if there will be less bowls in the near future. That would depend on how long a deal a corporate sponsor signed on for. I wonder how many fans of some schools plan to make a bowl trip. Are there 1,000 or more FAU Owls willing to journey from Florida to Michigan in December to watch the team play? Even if I were a Owl fan and had money, I’d stay home.